Bradford will pay tribute to 56 fire victims with special Wembley tracksuits

Bradford will pay an emotional tribute to the victims of the Valley Parade fire when the players wear tracksuits adorned with the number 56 at Wembley on Sunday.

Manager Phil Parkinson confirmed on Tuesday his team will walk out for the Capital One Cup final against Swansea with tops bearing the number of lives lost when fire swept through the main stand during a league game with Lincoln City in May 1985.

'Always With Us' will be embroidered on the front of the tracksuits as the Bantams make history by becoming the first club from the bottom tier to appear at Wembley in one of English football's major finals.

In memory: Floral tributes after the stand was destroyed by the fire in 1985

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Reflecting on how Bradford’s cup exploits
have impacted on families affected by the tragedy, Parkinson said:
‘When I first came here, I quickly picked up the unique bond that exists
in this city between the club and the supporters because of the fire.

‘I’ve had a lot of letters from a lot
of supporters leading up to this game, telling me this is an occasion to
remember those 56.

‘Because Bradford have been coming
down the divisions, there’s a feeling outside the city those people
might have been forgotten, so we want to do everything we can to set the
record straight and make sure this is a day for remembering them.

‘I’ve had letters from people whose
relatives died in the fire, and I’ve spoken to people who were here that
day. The common theme is that this is the day to remember those people.

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‘The two co-chairmen are diehard
Bradford fans. It means a lot to them that the club is represented in
the right way at Wembley, and an important aspect of that is remembering
the fire and those who lost their lives.’

Parkinson hopes to end uncertainty
over his future by signing a new deal, even if another giantkilling act
on Sunday makes him a target for other clubs. Out of contract this
summer, he has declined an approach from Blackpool.

‘I’m enjoying my time here, and
hopefully it will get resolved when the final is out of the way,’ he
said. ‘It’s been going on for a few weeks. The chairman has been away
and my agent has been ill. My assistant, Steve Parkin, and I are keen to
stay.’

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